Middle English Dictionary Entry
wī̆lderne n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wī̆lderne n. Also (early) wildren, (SWM) wulderne & (errors) wildene, wyldyn; gen. (N or NWM) wildernes, wildrenes; pl. (early) wildernes. |
| Etymology | From OE wild-deōren adj.; gen. -es forms could also be construed as ME wī̆ldernes(se n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A deserted or an uninhabited place or region, a wilderness; also, unsettled land; also fig. and in fig. context; wildernes lond, a place of desolation, a deserted place; wildernes side, a woodside, a wild place.
Associated quotations
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)127 : He nolde noht folgen here forbisne ne on speche ne on dede and þerfore ferde into weste wilderne.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)165 : Þis mannisse…bringeð on here heorte oregel…and oðer iuele lastes alse wuremes breden on wilderne þat is þis woreld.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)209 : Holi boc clepeð þis woreld wildren for þe fewe men þe wunieð [ð]erone þe ben temed and wend to godes hond his wille to don.
- ?c1225 Ancr.(Cleo C.6)146/7 : Ure wiðerwines…þer fuchte wið us & ȝet inþe wildene [Corp-C: wildernesse] weiteden us toslenne.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)621 : Þar is wode, þar is water, þar is wilderne muchel; þet lond is swiþe wunsum.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4284 : Androgens wende in-to ane oðere ende to ane wilderne, in-to ane wude muchele.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8048 : Bruttes…droȝen ut of þan wuden & of þan wulderne bi sixti & bi sixti…& bi feole þusend.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8650 : Ich wulle in his londe mid fæhte at-[ston]den, maken him weste paðes & wildernes monie.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)5734 : His flok he fedde…bi a wildernes side [Vsp: wildrin wod side].
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)5852 : To worschip god in wildrenes [Vsp: wildrin] land.
- c1475 Ipotis (Brm)p.32 : 'But on thyng I prey the, Thow speke lenger of the see; Tell me, chyld, wat that may be?' The chyld seyd, with owte lesyng, 'A wyll wyldyn of wey [Vrn: A wylde wey in wendynge], So thow mytys seyll þer-ynne, That þou schuldyst Neuer lond wynne.'